Monday, October 29, 2012

Rohit Kumar, young staff of PVCHR especially
published, both in the printed as well as the web edition of the NORAD
magazine Bistandsaktuelt. The article also described about PVCHR and its founder. Story by Hanne and Photo by Ken

With the proceeds from the IT work is 22 years old Rohit Kumar (far right) about to lift his family up in India's middle class. In the picture is the mother Sushite Devi (48) in the middle, little sister Khushbo (12) to left, then lillerbror Mohit (14), middle brother Rahul (16). Photo: Ken Opprann

In English by google translation:

IT boom for India's Untouchables

In India, IT technology and social media has become a new opportunity for social mobility and economic development of Dalits - known as "Untouchables." - IT enables us to pursue higher education and work without having social and physical contact with other people, says Dalit Rohit Kumar. Owned By Hanne Andersen in India

We are in Benares, Hindu holy city in northern India. Outside it is scalding hot, but the fans are spinning and swallows the small office to the human rights organization People's Vigilante Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). IT employees Rohit Kumar and Kumar Pradee working diligently in front of each monitor.

- In eighth grade we got IT subjects at school. My family is poor, and I saw it as an opportunity to learn something I could start making money early.The last five years I have worked enough to contribute to the family finances, says Rohit. 22-year-old's next goal is engineering.

- While I will continue to work so I can also give my three younger siblings higher education.Cousin Pradee nods. He is 23 years old and dependent family members with a salary from the human rights organization.

Discrimination and harassment

They are apparently two ordinary urban, young men. But they are also the story of a class trip - and the story of how new technology paves the way for a settlement with the Indian caste system.

With revenues from IT labor are both about to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and into the lower middle layer in India. Both Rohit and Pradee are from families who are Untouchables, or Dalits which is the Indian name for those who are very low on the ladder in the traditional Indian caste system.

The system was formally abolished in 1950, shortly after India's independence, and today's Dalits represented in all walks of life. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has officially condemned the practice of "urørbarhet" and compared it to apartheid, and State Minister Kumari Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh, the state of Benares is in, even Dalit.

But still practiced caste system in many parts of the Indian society. The Indian human rights organizations, the UN, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty report widespread discrimination and abuse committed against many of India's more than 160 million Dalits. Daily reports in Indian newspapers about new cases of harassment, rape, aggravated assault and murder of Dalits, especially in rural areas.In the cities, the situation is slightly better, but discrimination in the workplace is a major issue here as well.

- Caste rules of "urørbarhet" means that many of the higher casts to avoid physical and social contact with Dalits. Therefore, it can be very difficult to pursue higher education and get a job if you are Dalit.For us, this means IT is an enormous change in the options, says Rohit.

- It can both study and work with without being in so much contact with others.

Use social media

The organization PVCHR are profiled in India and getting support from other EU for its work on discrimination and violence against Dalits.

Director Lenin Raghuvanshi, who comes from a wealthy høykastefamilie, speaks with disdain about the caste system.

- Unfortunately, we have a long way to go before it is repealed in practice, says Raghuvanshi. He tells how the ever new, marginalized groups make use of IT technology and social media to improve their social and economic status. In PVCHR encourage and guide the more marginalized communities to tell their own and others' stories of discrimination and persecution through social media.

- IT is an excellent tool for activism, especially for Dalits, indigenous people, slum dwellers and other marginalized groups that usually do not have access to formal venues and media, says Raguvanshi, showing that both the internet, computers and mobile phones have become very cheap in India. Human Rights Watch recently demanded that the Indian authorities provide better protection for Dalit activists, because many people are being harassed and threatened with death for his commitment to the casteless. Lenin Ragunvanshi have even experienced it.

- I'm being harassed and getting death threats all the time, he says, and shows the messages on your mobile phone.

- But I will not be intimidated. Should I be killed, the Dalit issue even more attention and the government will be accountable in a way they certainly do not want, he says, shrugging his shoulders.

Belief in change

Rohit and Pradeep believes that the development is positive in the cities.

- There are more people who do not care about caste, especially among young people. But it is also easier to hide the caste you are from here, says Rohit. In rural areas it is worse.

- When we visit our grandparents in the village outside Benares, we find condescension from høykastefolk. People are more conservative on the village. They are also more jealous there, Rohit says with a small smile. The two will not be subdued.

- These people have bad attitudes. But we have the economy and education, and we think modern, says Pradeep. He believes that the caste system will disappear in practice over the next two or three generations.

- Just a few generations ago it was much as is common today, that was unthinkable. India is changing rapidly now. Although the country things are changing. Children growing up today will have less problems than we had. For each generation, we get new opportunities. Our parents had it harder and had fewer opportunities than us. Our children will get even better, he says.

Educated, kastelo and woman

After work goes Rohit home to the house he lives in with his parents and three siblings. Mother Sushite Devi (48) serves biscuits, sweet cakes, tea and water. One by one tumbles siblings Rahul (16), Mohit (14) and youngest girl Khushboo (12) in the door after school.

- He was mischievous in his childhood, tells Sushite.

- But now I am very proud of him. The neighbors are saying to their children that "Rohit has made it in life. You have to do like him. " Pioneering business is nothing new in the family. Sushite completed high school at a time when it was very unusual for women in general, and especially the Dalits got education.

- As a child I had a lot of problems because of discrimination, she said.

- But my mother, who was working most of his life, worked hard and made sure that we took the kids education, even though we were poor, says Sushite, who for many years worked as a clerk in an insurance company. She remembers the resurrection in the village Bahariyabaad, 80 miles from Benares, when she got the job.

- There were strangers from the district home to us just to look at me. A dalitkvinne with education and job was a sensation, she says, laughing.

At People's Vigilante committer on Human Rights, it is natural enough no discrimination against Dalits. In the workplace, the way it can still be difficult. Dalit Jyoti Narayan (32) is a computer engineer and father of two. For several years he ran an internet cafe in the neighborhood of Benares with great success.

Customers fail

- It went very well as long as I was the only one with this kompetansen.Etter that there were several fold higher that opened Internet cafes stopped people coming. Now it's very bad here, he says. Jyoti has taken part-time job at a local university, but is not happy with the working environment and conditions.

- Another teacher who is Dalit and I being frozen out and bullied by the higher castes, he said.

- Normally, my education have given me a position with much higher salaries. But I encounter prejudice very many places. Now he is focusing on the renovation and expansion of the internet cafe to entice people to see through fold status and prejudice.

- It's hard. But it's a positive development, and my children will be better than me, he said.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

In India,mind of caste is very deepen and
biggest threat for rational thinking and inclusiveness. Edmund Burke
rightly says, " In that Country the law of religion, the laws of the
land, and the law of honour, are all united and consolidated in one, and bind a man eternally to the rule of what is called his
caste." Mind of caste and its psychological behavior are biggest
corruption or mother of corruption in India. Such as a staff of an
international non-profit organization did not visit PVCHR,but provided
report to his organization.Because he is against my reconciliation
initiative. I appeal to to International donors to establish the
standard and system in this context,so we should eliminate the new
order of hegemony due to mind of caste and resources. Social change is
against the philosophy of Hitler: The principle relied on absolute
obedience of all subordinates to their superiors; thus he viewed the
government structure as a pyramid, with himself—the infallible leader—at
the apex http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler

Friday, October 26, 2012

Shruti wrote a letter to Government of India on appeal of PUCL campaign as follows and received response from Ministry of Home and Ministry of Law coordination :

Colonial era sedition law contained in section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code, makes creating hatred or contempt for or disaffection towards the government established by Law in India, an act of sedition punishable with imprisonment for life, whether such disaffection, hatred or contempt is created by words spoken or written or by signs or visible representation. This section forms part of chapter VI of the Indian penal Code that deals with offences against the State, a passage that deals with serious offences including waging war against the State.

Section 124 A was introduced by the British Government in 1870 when the colonial government felt that such a draconian law was needed to suppress the freedom struggle. Some of the most famous sedition trails of 19th and early 20th centuries were those of Indian nationalist leaders including Tilak, Gandhi and Maulana Azad. All the repressive laws used by the British against the freedom struggle have been retained in Independent India, despite constitutional provisions mandating scrutiny.

Jawaharlal Nehrus views were totally against this provision when he said in 1951, Take again Section 124 (A) of the Indian Penal Code. Now so far as I am concerned that particular Section is highly objectionable and obnoxious and it should have no place both for practical and historical reasons, in any body of laws that one might pass. The sooner we get rid of it the better.

In fact, it is the constitutional right of every citizen to expose the misdeeds of the government he/she disapproves of and create disaffection and disloyalty among the people and work for throwing it out of power through democratic means of course without resorting to violence. Hence, the law is incompatible with democracy in which anybody who is dissatisfied with the government has the right to create disaffection against it and seek its removal at the next election. In fact, it is the legitimate right of every citizen to expose the misdeeds of the government it disapproves of, create disaffection and disloyalty among the people and work for throwing it out of power. Disloyalty to a government is different from disloyalty to the State. Of late this provision is being used by the State to suppress the peaceful peoples movements and Human Rights activists. Using sedition law to silence peaceful criticism is the hallmark of an oppressive government. The Indian parliament should immediately repeal this Colonial Era Sedition Law.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

We are glad to inform you that Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR) in joint collaboration of Danish organization Rehabilitation and Research Centre (RCT) is going to organize Interface with Different Stakeholders on anti-torture processes on 27th November, 2012 from 11 am on wards in Hotel Radisson, Cantonment, Varanasi,UP in India.

Therefore we are inviting you in this interface for your appreciated intermediation in the case of torture. Kindly accept our invitation for making this program successful. Please confirm your esteem presence to lenin@pvchr.asia no later than second week of November for making further arrangement.

For more information about this program please contact to Ms. Shruti Nagvanshi on her mobile no. + 91-9935599330 and Ms. Shirin Shabana Khan on her email: shabana@pvchr.asia, mobile no: +91-9453155296